Is COBRA worth it after a layoff? - what worked for you?

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. Thank you in advance. My old employer will not help with the premium. Is the decision time really that tight?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

A quick call to the plan's member line cleared up two things for us that the letter did not.